Steering mechanism for automobiles.



E RI'EMER; STEERING MECHANISM FOR AUTQMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1912.

1,069,10, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 sums-sum 1.

M. E. RIBMBR.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

- APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-$112111 2.

wamlassas STEERING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,523.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, MILTON E. RIEMER, a citizen of the United States, ,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanisms for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing My invention relates to improvements in that class of steering mechanisms which are applied to the'steering knuckles of automobiles, now generally in use, and has special reference to improvements on the form of mechanism set forth in Letters Patent No. 935,610, of September as, 1909.

The objects of my improvements are, to so construct said steering mechanism, that the same may be applied to steering knuckles, the pivotal points of which are so close to thewheels of the vehicle as to prevent the securing of cams thereon.

Further objects are, to so construct and arrange the parts of said mechanism that the same shall be simple, substantial and durable, and efiiciently perform all of the offices set forth in the Letters Patent cited.

Still further objects are, to so construct said mechanism, that the steering cams and cam rotating means, may be situated at points distant from the knuckles.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of the preferred form of the mechanism, certain portions of the frame being broken away to avoid unnecessary extension of the drawing. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the parts, as they appear when rotated clock-wise to the extreme point of their movement. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, on the line X X, seen inFig. 5, looking downward. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a cam, on the line Y Y, seen in Fig. 4, looking upward. Figs. 6 and 7 are top plans of two of the other various forms in which the knuckle rotating means may be constructed.

Referring to Fig. 1, l designates certain portions of the frame of the vehicle. axle 1 may form a part of said frame, or be indirectly connected therewith in different ways, in various types of vehicle construction, and since said frame is only a secondary element of the invention, the same isv Front neither fully shown nor described. The vehicle wheels 2 and 2' are attached to the bifurcated ends 1 of axle 1', by knuckles 3 and 3', the inner ends of which, are mounted between said bifurcations, on pivot bolts 4. Said bolts arepassed through said bifurcatlons and said knuckles. These knuckles are each provided with a pair of grooved segments 5, of semicircular form secured thereon or formed therewith. Said segments are adaptedto receive flexible pulling members 6. Steering cams 7 and 7 are rotatably mounted on axle 1. Said cams may be mounted on forwardly extending brackets not shown. These cams are of elongated elliptical form, thelongitudinal axes of the ellipses being inclined toward each other in a forward direction, and being at such inclination to the axle l, and of such proportional width and length as to cause proper difference in the movement of wheels 2 and 2, as hereinafter described. This proper difference of movement is such that the planes of said wheels are always at right angles to the pivot point on which said vehicle is turning. Said pivot point, not shown, would be at the point where the dot and dash lines 2 would intersect, if the same were extended, see Fig. 3. Rigidly mounted on cams 7 and 7' respectively, are two reversed segments 7". These segments are of the same form as segments5, and are mounted in alinement with them, and have their semicircular grooved edges toward said segments 5. These edges are adapted to receive the inner end portions of flexible members 6. Said members have their outer ends secured to segments 5, are extended inward therefrom, are crossed over each other and have their inner ends secured to segments 7, for reversely transmitting the movement of cams 7 and 7 to knuckles 3 and 3, and their respectively attached vehicle wheels. The edge faces of said cams are suitably grooved or channeled, for the reception in said channels of the hereinafter described flexible members.

Since cams 7 and 7 are alike in their construction and operation, a detailed description of one cam is sufiicient. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, cam 7 has depression 7 a formed in the bottom of its channel and has slot '7 and pivot aperture 7 formed therethrough. The point in' said channel, in which said depression is formed, is a matter of importance; it should be in the outward side and near the rearward end of cam 7, in order to freely permit the hereinafter described flexible members to be operated.

Flexible pulling member 8 passes continuously around cams 7 and 7 (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and is secured thereto by stirrups 9 which press said member into depressions 7 as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Stirrup 9 is held in place by bolt and nut 9' said bolt being passed through the apertured ends of said stirrup and through said slot 7 Rearward from the center of axle 1, the shaft 11 is rotatably mounted in a portion of frame 1. Said shaft has winding drum 11 rigidly secured on the lower end portion thereof, while hand wheel 11 is secured on the upper end of said shaft. Flexible drawing members 12 are wound in' a plurality of coils around said drum and have their rear ends secured thereto. The forward end of said members 12 are respectively passed around opposite sides of grooved idle p'ulleys 13, are crossed and have their forward" ends secured respectively to cams 7 and 7 by the heretofore described member securing means, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Said pulleys 13 are rotatably mounted on another portion of frame 1, directly in front of drum 11 and adjacent to flexible member 8. Said idle pulleys form guiding means for member 12. From this arrangement it should be understood, that if the hand wheel 11" is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 16, that the rear end portions of member 12 will be unwound from, and wound on drum 11, as indicated by arrows 17. The crossed front portions of said members will move as indicated by arrows 18. By this means cams 7 and 7 are rotated in the direction indicated by the last mentioned arrows. This rotation of said cams is reversely conveyed to knuckles 3 and 3 and their respectively attached vehicle wheels 2 and 2', by the previously described reverse rotating means. When said hand wheel 11" is thus rotated to the limit of its rotation, said vehicle wheels will be in the position seen in Fig. 3.

It will be seen, that in moving the parts, as previously described, the front portion of member 8 is unwound from the contracted outer side portion of cam 7, and is wound onto the elongated end portionof cam 7, thereby causing cam 7 and the thereby reversely rotated knuckle 3, to rotate farther than cam 7 and its reversely rotated knuckle 3'. This unequal rotation of said knuckles, brings about the before described movement of their respectively attached vehicle wheels 2 and 2, in such manner, that said. wheels are always in the proper plane, as before de-' scribed.

While Ihave described the preferred form of knuckle rotating means, as shown in- Figs. 1, 2, and 3; it is evident that other knuckle used, without departing from the spirit of my invention. Two of such other forms are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In the form seen in Fig. 6, knuckle 3 has segment 21 secured thereon, provided with gear teeth 21 on its semicircular edge. Cam 7 has segment 22 secured thereon and provided with gear teeth 22 on its semicircular edge; said teeth being in engagement for transmit-ting rotation of said cam to said knuckle.

In the form of knuckle rotating means,

seen in Fig. 7, knuckle 3 has cross-arm 1 1 rotating means, of various forms, could be secured thereon, the outer ends of said arm being crank and rod connected with cam 7 by crank and rod connection 15. In this form of rotating means, the cam 7 is ro'-' tated in the direction indicated by arrow 23, and is reversely inclined on axle 1. The flexible member securing means thereon is the same as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, but is placed as seen at 9, in Fig. 7. This is done because the rod and crank form of knuckle rtating means, does not act as a reverse rotating means, as is the case with all of the previously described forms. The cam 7 is therefore rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 23, as previosuly stated. It will be understood that cam 7 is used in conjunction with a reversely inclined companion cam, not shown. The idle pulleys 13 are rotatably mounted on frame 1, with a space between them. The rear end.portions of flexible drawing members 12 are passed around the inner surfaces respectively, of said idle pulleys. This arrangement of the member guiding means, is essential in this form of mechanism, in order that the operating hand wheel, not shown, shall rotate in the same direction as wheel 11', seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This being the conventional =rotative direction of said hand wheel, the

same should under all circumstances and in all forms of mechanisms be maintained for obvious reasons.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steering mechanism for automobiles, a frame, knuckles pivotally attached to said frame, elongated cams rotatably mounted distant from said knuckles, the curved faces of said cams being adapted to have flexible members wrapped thereon and secured thereto at certain points on said faces, a flexible pulling member passed continuously around said cams, flexible drawing members having forward ends and rearward end portions,"member securing means, one at a certain point on each of said cams whereby the front ends of 'said drawing members respectively and said pulling memher are secured to said cams, winding means mounted on said frame at a distance from said cams, said winding means being adapt ed to wind thereon and unwind therefrom respectively the said rear end portions of said drawing members, guiding means for said drawing members, knuckle rotating means connecting said cams and knuckles, and vehicle wheels on said-knuckles for supporting said frame.

2. In a steering mechanism for automobiles, an elongated cam the curved face of which is adapted to have flexible members wrapped thereon said curved face having a depression formed therein said cam havm a slot formed therethrough adjacent to sai depression, a flexible pulling member on said depressed face, a flexible drawing member having an end portion thereof on said depressed face, a stirrup whereby said flexible members are pressed into said depression, securing means passed through the ends of said stirrup and through said slot whereby said stirrup is tightly secured 1n place, a steerable vehicle wheel, movement conveying means connecting said cam with said wheel, and manually operated drawing means connected with the other end portion of said flexible drawing member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MILTON E. RIEMER. Witnesses E. P. HOPKINS, LUTHER. STOUFFER. 

